Horsemeat (Supermarket Products)

Anne McGuire Excerpts
Thursday 17th January 2013

(11 years, 4 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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David Heath Portrait Mr Heath
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As I have said, I do not think that there is a downgrading of surveillance. We take the matter extremely seriously and ensure that what we do is targeted in the most effective way in order to pick up irregularities when they occur. It is very important that people recognise that. It is also important to recognise that we had here a system picking up a defect, not ignoring it.

Anne McGuire Portrait Mrs Anne McGuire (Stirling) (Lab)
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Earlier the Minister said that there was collaboration on these issues. Given that the Irish Food Safety Authority’s tests were undertaken in November, could he advise the House when DEFRA was informed of those tests?

David Heath Portrait Mr Heath
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DEFRA would not have been the first port of call, because this is a matter between the Food Safety Authority of Ireland and the Food Standards Agency in this country. I understand that they had a dialogue earlier this week.